Flue cleaning apparatus



April 23, 1957 J. c. CHEADLE FLUE CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 15,- v1954' 4 mslm IIIH l5 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH C. CHEADLE 7 MyW ATTORNEYS United States Patent() FLUE CLEANING APPARATUS Joseph C. Cheadle, Portland, Greg.

Application July 15, 1954, Serial No. 443,466

1 Claim. (Cl. 15-104.2)

`powered boiler ue cleaning ram-rod.

A further object of this invention is to provide a boiler cleaning ram-rod of the type described with an adjustable, portable supporting frame.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following specification when read in conjunction with the annexed drawing in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view, partly insection, of the cleaning device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the instant invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the ram-rod and supporting frame taken on the horizontal plane of line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view taken on the vertical plane of line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view, partly in crosssection, taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional View, partly in elevation, of the front end of the ram-rod.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing, the reference character F designates, in general, a framework which includes an elongated substantially rectangular frame having opposed sides 12, 12A and ends 13 formed of channel members having substantially U-shaped crosssectional conguration. As is seen in the drawing, the open faces of the channel members are in confronting relation.

A pair of spaced substantially parallel arms 14 have one of their respective ends secured to the side member 12 and the other ends thereof are each provided with a clamping member 15 adapted to receive the inwardly extending flange 16 of one end of the boiler after the door 17 thereof has been moved to its open position, as is seen in Figures 2 and 3. Manually manipulated set screws 18 rigidly secure the clamps 15 in position on the ange 16.

The frame F also includes a secondary frame substantially U-shaped in configuration and comprising a base member 19 having laterally projecting arms 19', the outer ends of which are rigidly aixed to the other side 12A of the rectangular frame.

Intermediate the ends of the base member 19 is secured one end of an elongated substantially hollow tubular member 20 which is adapted to telescopingly receive one end of a vertically extending rod 21 having its other end rigidly secured to one corner of a substantially triangular frame 22. Wheels 23 are disposed at each corner of the triangular frame 22. A manually set screw 24 maintains the tubular member 20 and the rod 21 in adjusted relationship.

A carriage 25 is provided with a plurality of wheels on a pair of opposite sides thereof adapted to ride within the U-shaped side channel members 12 and 12A.

An elongated substantially hollow tubular member 27 has one of its ends in open communication with the carriage 25 and is adapted to slidably receive the lower end of an elongated circular rod 28 therethrough.

A winch 29 is supported on the lowerend of the tubular member 27 and is connected through cable 30 with the lower end of the shaft 28 whereby the position of the rod 28 relative to the tubular member 27 may be selectively adjusted. Conventional locking means (not shown) are incorporated in the winch to maintain the selected position.

An elongated substantially hollow tubular member 32 is secured to the other end of the rod 28 with the longitudinal axis of the latter being substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the former.

An elongated hollow shaft 33 is disposed for reciprocation within the tubular member 32 and projects beyond each end thereof. A substanially circular brush 34 is xedly secured to one end of the shaft 33 and a plurality of openings 36 extend transversely through the wall of the shaft 33 adjacent brush 34 to serve a function to be described. The other end of the shaft 33 is connected to a vacuum pump whereby as the brush 34 is reciprocated within one of the tubular ues 11, the soot, dust, dirt and other foreign materials may be evacuated from behind the brush 34 through the openings 36.

As is clearly seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, a cable 37 is wound on the drum 40 of a winch W and has the opposite ends thereof secured in lugs 38 and 39 rigidly aixed to opposite ends of the shaft 33.

The winch W is secured to the upper side of the tubular member 32 as by welding at 42, and an electric motor 43 depends from its base plate 44 which is secured to the bottom side of the tubular member 32. The winch W and the motor 43 are drivingly connected by the endless belt 45.

A pair of limit switches 46, 47 are xedly secured to the opposite ends of the tubular member 32 and are adapted to open and close the electric motor circuit to reverse the direction of rotation of the drive shaft thereof.

As is seen in Figure 1 of the drawing, the limit switch 46 is provided with a trigger 49 which is adapted to be engaged by a stop 48 secured to one end of the shaft 33 as the shaft 33 is moved from right to left as viewed therein. The limit switch 47 is provided with a trigger 51 adapted for engagement with the stop 50 mounted on the other end of the shaft 33 as the latter moves in the reverse direction. The reversing circuits are old and well known in the art and therefore the same has not been shown.

In operation, the device is wheeled to the steam or hot water furnace having flues to be cleaned. The height of the frame F is adjusted in such a manner that the jaws 15 engage over the flange 16 and is clamped thereto by the set screws 18. Thereafter, the winch 29 is operated to align the brush 34 with a plurality of the horizontally spaced ues 11. The carriage 25 is moved on the frame F until the brush 34 is coaxially aligned with a selected one of the ues 11.

The motor 43 is then energized to operate the winch to move the shaft 33 and brush 34 inwardly into the selected ilue 11. The shaft 33 moves in this direction until the stop 50 engages against the trigger 51 of the limit switch 47. Upon the operation of the switch 47 the motor 43 is reversed and the shaft and its connected brush are then moved outwardly of the selected ue 11.

DuringV this reciprocating action ofY the shaft and brush, soot, dirt, scale-and other foreign matter is ,re moved from the inner sideof the ue 11. In order to facilitate this cleaning operation, the outer end of the shaft 33 is connedied-throughn the tubing 35 with .a vacuum pump Ywhereby the soot and other debris'tmay.; b e evacuated: ahead of the.` brush 34 through openingAat the inne'rrend-*of shaft 33.

In addition to actingas .a stopfor theA limit switch 46, thetmemberJtS servesvasa supportfor, its adjacent end ofthe. tubular shaft.33' after the brush 34 has been pushed completely through the selected Vilue 11.

Having described and illustrated one embodiment Qf this invention, it will be understood that Vthe same is offered by.y way: of example, and thatthe instant invention Visto belimited only. bythe scope of the appended claim.

What is` claimed is:

Apparatus for cleaning thetlues of a conventional steam or hot Water furnace comprising awheeled base having asubstantially vertical rod projecting upwardly therefrom, a substantially hollow tubular member having one of its ends telescopted over lthe upper end of said rod for Vertical adjustment thereon, means securing said tubular member in adjusted position on said rod, a member of substantially U-shaped configuration having Ythebase thereof rigidly secured to the other end of said tubular member and the Varms thereof'extending away therefrom in a substantially horizontal direction, an open elongated substantially rectangular frame formed of opposed side and end channel members having a substantially U-shaped cross-.sectionwith the open faces of kthe opposed side and end channel members thereof in confronting relation, a. pair of spaced substantially parauetchannel members havingnenfthsir Arespective,ends secured to one of said side members, clamping means secured on each of the other ends of said last-named channel members, an elongated substantially rectangular carriage having wheels on opposite sides thereof adapted to ride in said pair of side members of said frame, an elongated tubular member Adepending from said carriage, a rod having an end thereof telescoped within said depending tubularmember, means-connectedzwith said depending tubuiar. member. and'oneeend ofnsaid last-named rod for controlling their relative position, an elongated tubular memberY secured ,to `the .other endqofsaid .rod at substantially a right vangle relativethereto, an elongated shaft mounted for reciprocation within said last-named tubular member and projecting from opposite sides thereof, a circular brush mounted on one end of said shaft, and means mounted on said last-named tubular member and connected withsaid shafttoetect thereciprocation thereof.

References Cited inthe file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

